2 ft gauge railroads in the United States
2-Foot Gauge Railways in the United States
A 2-foot gauge railway has rails 2 feet apart (610 millimeters). This very narrow gauge was used mainly in places where building standard tracks was too costly or difficult.
Where they were used
- Mines, lumber camps, and other industrial sites
- Rugged or hilly terrain where wider tracks wouldn’t fit
- Short-haul routes serving local communities
How they worked
- Small, lightweight trains
- Tight curves and simple equipment
- Cheaper and quicker to build than standard-gauge railways
What happened to them
- Most were closed or converted to standard gauge as industries changed
- A few survive today as museums or heritage railways
This article lists the known 2-foot gauge railways that once operated in the United States and explains their roles and what became of them.
This page was last edited on 3 February 2026, at 20:16 (CET).